Roughly 25 of the state’s 147 dispensaries that are licensed to sell recreational cannabis are located in the Dayton region. Grace Bondy, spokesperson for Verano and Zen Leaf Dispensaries, said dispensaries welcome the change. Zen Leaf operates a Riverside location.
“Allowing larger purchase quantities brings Ohio more in-line with neighboring states and mature cannabis markets, and is a win-win for consumers, businesses and the state,” said Bondy. “Cannabis consumers will have increased purchase options, Ohio’s legal cannabis retailers and cultivators have the opportunity to benefit from increased sales quantities, and local communities and the state stand to receive additional tax revenue from larger purchases.”
State officials said the lower limits were in place to ensure that access for Ohio’s 454,947 registered medical marijuana patients was not inhibited.
“The Division’s priority continues to be ensuring medical marijuana patients have adequate supply and maintain their medical marijuana card, and the Division knows that licensees share that priority,” the division said in its announcement. “Since non-medical cannabis sales began in August 2024, the market has demonstrated the ability to support both medical marijuana patients and non-medical consumers alike.”
“We are encouraged by the Division of Cannabis Control’s updated guidance based on the market’s ability to support both medical and adult use consumers, and look forward to celebrating one year of adult use cannabis in Ohio this upcoming August,” Bondy said.
Ohioans passed Issue 2 in 2023. Under Ohio law, customers 21 and older can buy up to 2.5 ounces of recreational cannabis at licensed dispensaries.
Jennifer Cron, the general manager of Pure Ohio Wellness’ dispensary in London, said the daily limits have been frustrating to dispensary operators and customers alike —many customers have wanted to purchase more than the state’s limit, but they can’t.
“With an ounce taking all of the ten-day allotment, it left no room for additional items such as edibles or concentrates, therefore limiting their options of getting the variety they were looking to purchase,” said Cron. “Many people drive quite a distance, and they prefer to buy larger quantities to prevent multiple trips. Being limited to that arbitrary number was definitely an issue that people consistently voiced their opinion on.”
Since the program’s 2024 launch, a total of 84,537 pounds of plant material have been sold by Ohio dispensaries. An additional 9.3 million units of manufactured cannabis products have also been sold.
The plant sales average for a one-tenth ounce in plant material was $18.74 as of this week, according to the Division of Cannabis Control’s weekly sales report. This is a nearly 30% drop in price since the recreational program’s start.
Erick Rodriguez, VP of retail of The Cannabist Company, said the Columbia Care dispensary on Wayne Avenue in Dayton will be ready to meet any uptick in demand that results from the rule change.
“We support Ohio’s decision to increase daily purchase limits, which gives adult-use customers more flexibility and better reflects how people actually shop and consume cannabis,” Rodriguez said.
Under the updated rules, for purchases other than plant material, customers can buy up to 15,000 mg of THC between edibles, vapes and other products.
All other products apply toward the customers’ cannabis product limit of 15,000 mg of total THC content, according to the Division of Cannabis Control.
These updated rules only apply to non-medical customers, the division said. Ohio medical marijuana patients and caregivers can purchase up to a 90-day supply of cannabis.
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